Barbri

We have began studying for the bar exam in February.
There is a saying among law students in regards to the bar exam. It goes something like this: “Do it once. Do it right. Never do it again.”
I’ve heard more bar prep horror stories than I care to recall. Much worse than anything in law school. And I have more than one friend who has taken the bar more than once. I don’t want to take chances with bar prep. So we are taking Barbri’s bar prep courses. Everything that is on the bar you don’t learn in law school. You have to pick up the extra material in a bar prep course before taking the bar. Barbri currently has the lock on being the most comprehensive Bar prep course on the market. Most people swear that Barbri is essential.

Barbri begins in January. Barbri fees are due by December first in order to avoid a $75 dollar late fee. Our combined bar prep fee is around $5000 just to take Barbri. We opted out of taking PMBR just because of the cost even though we both have about $100 already paid into PMBR.
Bar prep is a big cost, and with my lack of a job, Crystal’s job almost pays for our current bills. Six grand for Barbri means that we have to get a bar prep loan. Great. Just great. But with me already owing six figures, what is the difference of a few thousand more. Our law schools loans are currently in a hold position (in deference or hold or whatever they call it nowdays) until a little while after the bar. At that time we will need to look into consolidation loans and repayment. It is not that far off. But we really cant afford to worry about that right now.

We have inherited a good bit of bar prep material from friends and are currently using that along with our law school materials and some early bird Barbri courses taken earlier this year to start prepping early. We will need it. The amount of material is amazing. It is a task unlike any I have ever approached. Some of it I will be learning anew. Some of it I will be relearning. They say it is approachable if you break it down into sections and have a study plan. Ok, that’s a good idea. Only one problem, I have no idea where to start. I have no idea of how to allocate time and on what subjects I need to concentrate the most. I will have to do a little research and figure it all out. In the mean time, I am still looking for a job, worrying about bills, starting to study, wondering where I need to concentrate, and wondering where I will be when bar results come out at the end of next May.
And in the mean time, I will continue to write on this blog. Hopefully it will keep me focused and you mildly entertained.